In The Early Hours
by badly-knitted
Summary: When Dee disappears from their bed in the early hours of the morning, Ryo finds him up on the roof. Set after Like Like Love.


**Title:** In The Early Hours

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Dee, Ryo.

 **Rating:** PG

 **Setting:** After Like Like Love.

 **Summary:** When Dee disappears from their bed in the early hours of the morning, Ryo finds him up on the roof.

 **Written For:** The dw100 prompt 'Shadow'.

 **Word Count:** 697

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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It was dark on the roof; hardly surprising since it was the middle of the night. Dee was visible only as a shadow silhouetted against the backdrop of the city lights, shining some distance away, but even if it had been pitch-blackness, Ryo would have been able to find his partner by the faint red glow from his cigarette.

"What're you doing up here?" he asked, padding towards Dee, the gravel scrunching softly beneath his hastily pulled on sneakers.

Dee didn't turn around. "Having a smoke?" He waved the cigarette vaguely, a thin wisp of smoke trailing from its lit end.

"I can see that."

"Why'd you ask then?"

Ryo huffed in exasperation. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Nope. Left my watch downstairs. I'll go with 'late'. Am I close?" Now Dee turned, leaning his elbows on the parapet behind him and cocking his head slightly to one side, the cigarette all but forgotten in his hand.

"It's almost three." Ryo stopped a few paces away, regarding his partner cautiously, uncertain yet whether or not his presence was an unwanted intrusion. He couldn't see Dee's expression; his face was in shadow.

Dee nodded, as though Ryo had confirmed his suspicions. "I was right; it is late." He breathed out a heavy sigh. "Couldn't sleep and I didn't want to disturb you so I came up here for a breath of fresh air and a cig. What's your excuse?" He took a final drag, dropped the butt to the gravel, and ground it out with his boot heel.

"Bed was cold without you in it. These days I never sleep well when you're not beside me."

"That a fact? C'mere." Dee held out his hand and when Ryo moved to take it, he pulled his lover close. "Crazy day," he breathed against Ryo's hair. "I think my mind was spinnin' too fast for me to sleep, just needed some time to process."

"Tell me about it," Ryo agreed.

"Why? You were there too."

Ryo poked Dee in the ribs, earning a snort of laughter. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah, sorry, I just always wanted to say that."

"Sometimes I wonder if you ever really grew up."

"Only sometimes?"

"Mm. There are occasions when you manage a reasonable impersonation of a responsible adult. Doesn't happen often, but…"

"Hey! I resent that!" Dee thought for a moment before adding, "Or I would if it wasn't true. But you're too responsible sometimes so I've made it my mission in life to remind you there's more to life than work and chores." He pulled back to smile at Ryo. "Is it workin'?"

"Not sure," Ryo smirked back. "I did just follow you up to the roof at three in the morning in my pyjamas…"

"Yes you did." Dee pushed Ryo back a little, raking his gaze over his lover from head to toe. "Don't go thinkin' I don't appreciate it."

"Idiot," Ryo told him fondly, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. "You coming back downstairs? You should at least try to get some sleep or you'll be dead on your feet tomorrow."

"Doesn't matter; the old badger gave us the day off."

"He did?" Ryo blinked owlishly at his lover. "When did that happen?"

Dee snapped his fingers. "Oh, right, yeah. You were logging the evidence in when he nabbed me. I tried to tell ya when you got back, but you said you had to make a phone call, and after that, it… kinda slipped my mind."

"We get an unscheduled day off and it slips your mind to tell me?"

"There was a lot goin' on!"

That was certainly true. The squad had made one of the biggest busts in years, cracked a major case wide open, and the whole Precinct had been buzzing.

"I guess there was. Okay, you're forgiven."

"Thanks."

"On one condition."

"Which is?"

"That you come back to bed before I fall asleep right here," Ryo said through another yawn.

"Hmm, can't have that. Okay, it's a deal." Wrapping his arm around Ryo, Dee steered his sleepy partner to the stairwell door and back down to their apartment for some well-earned sleep.

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The End


End file.
